# Die Hard
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/die-hard/89814
**Category:** Cafe Society
**Created:** [October 26, 2001, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/die-hard/89814 "2001-10-26T17:46:24Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)
#### Post date: [October 26, 2001, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/die-hard/89814/1 "2001-10-26T17:46:24Z")
What tipped MCClain to the head bad guy?
Was it using “Bill Clay” instead of “William”?
Was it holding his cigarette in the European manner?
---
### Author:  [@Tars\_Tarkas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tars_Tarkas)
#### Post date: [October 26, 2001, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/die-hard/89814/2 "2001-10-26T17:52:08Z")
Didn’t he see him when he was in the ventilation shaft?
---
### Author:  [@Blacksheepsmith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blacksheepsmith)
#### Post date: [October 26, 2001, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/die-hard/89814/3 "2001-10-26T18:07:11Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by carnivorousplant \*
> \*\*Was it holding his cigarette in the European manner? \*\*
That’s what I always figured. There’s a scene earlier where he’s talking to Pal on the walkie talkie and says something like:
“These guys are very smooth, very professional, well-equipped. Probably European, judging from their clothes and…”
He stops, half-turns, pauses.
“…cigarettes…”
I guess that’s the set-up for him to be paying particular attention to this.
---
### Author:  [@Ferrous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferrous)
#### Post date: [October 26, 2001, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/die-hard/89814/4 "2001-10-26T19:05:42Z")
My take on it:
McClean (sp?) had grabbed a pack of European cigarettes from one of the terrorists he killed. When he offered one, Hans just accepted one as if they were in no way unusual. John figured that an American (as Hans was pretending to be) would have commented on the foreign brand. But he just took one as if he had been smoking them all the time. Therefore, John figured he was a terrorist.
---
### Author:  [@Yondan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yondan)
#### Post date: [October 26, 2001, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/die-hard/89814/5 "2001-10-26T20:45:23Z")
Hmmm. I never thought of that; I thought Mclain was just testing a stranger by handing him an unloaded gun. Otherwise, if he did know, then why hand him a gun at all?
---
### Author:  [@Eternal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eternal)
#### Post date: [October 26, 2001, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/die-hard/89814/6 "2001-10-26T21:12:26Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Yondan \*
> \*\*Hmmm. I never thought of that; I thought Mclain was just testing a stranger by handing him an unloaded gun. Otherwise, if he did know, then why hand him a gun at all? \*\*
Because that makes it funner when Hans finds out its unloaded. That’s also why a professional like Hans wouldn’t bother to check to make sure it’s loaded.
---
### Author:  [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)
#### Post date: [October 26, 2001, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/die-hard/89814/7 "2001-10-26T21:57:45Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Eternal \*
> \*\*That’s also why a professional like Hans wouldn’t bother to check to make sure it’s loaded. \*\*
Say what? Why didn’t Hans check it?
---
### Author:  [@Lao\_Tsu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lao_Tsu)
#### Post date: [October 26, 2001, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/die-hard/89814/8 "2001-10-26T22:13:05Z")
It was they way Hans held the cigarette when McLean offered him a light. Europeans tend to hold the ciggy between the thumb and forefinger, whereas 'Merkins tend to hold them between the forefinger and the middle finger. Also, Alan Rickman’s movement while doing this do seem a little exaggerated, either for effect or he’s not a smoker.
---
### Author:  [@dasceder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dasceder)
#### Post date: [October 27, 2001, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/die-hard/89814/9 "2001-10-27T00:43:54Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Tars Tarkas \*
> \*\*Didn’t he see him when he was in the ventilation shaft? \*\*
I think if he had known he was bad guy from the get-go he would have busted a cap in his sorry ass.
(please forgive the gratuitous jive-talkin’)
---
### Author:  [@AWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AWB)
#### Post date: [October 27, 2001, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/die-hard/89814/10 "2001-10-27T03:50:02Z")
Other clues that I’ve always thought tipped off McLean:
- Hans’s voice, even with an American accent, is pretty distinguishable.
- McLean might have glimpsed Hans when he rode on top of the elevator shaft down to the party’s floor and spied on the “terrorists”.
- General suspicion of someone running from the terrorists by going up. Most people would head down.
And actually, **carnivorousplant** , I think most Americans named William go by Bill. As an Arkansan, you oughta know that. :D:D
---
### Author:  [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)
#### Post date: [October 27, 2001, 5:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/die-hard/89814/11 "2001-10-27T05:47:21Z")
McLean does, in fact, suggest that he knew it was Hans Gruber from the accent; “That was tricky, with the accent. I bet you do a great Ed Sullivan.”
When Hans pulls the trigger on the pistol McLean just gave him and it’s empty, McLean says, “You think I’m a shmuck?”
---
### Author:  [@matt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt)
#### Post date: [October 27, 2001, 7:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/die-hard/89814/12 "2001-10-27T07:15:22Z")
I felt the gun thing was a test. I mean, what cop in McLean’s situation wants to worry about an untrained civilian with a gun at his back _as well_? The cigarettes probably made him suspicious. I also thought “Bill Clay’s” accent slipped a little when he said “You don’t work for Nagatomi…”
In fact it was _another_ test. McLean had already asked for a name, while standing where he could see the name board and Hans couldn’t. The way Hans answered “Clay…Bill Clay” was very slick. “Bill” was a nice, familiar touch to make it extra convincing.
**Carnivorousplant** “Say what? Why didn’t Hans check it?”
If I’m following **Eternal’s** post correctly, he feels that the only reason McLean handed Hans an empty gun at all was for the amusement value, which is fairly unprofessional. Hans, being a professional, wouldn’t consider this - he’d just think that his ruse had worked.
I think Hans didn’t check the gun because McLane pulled a “fresh” clip from his pocket, slapped it into the pistol, chambered a round and lowered the hammer, which was a good performance. McLane was probably planning to reload that empty clip later using 9mm from one of the terrorist’s pistols or submachine guns, but never got round to it.
**Rickjay:** “That was tricky, with the accent. I bet you do a great Ed Sullivan.”
“When Hans pulls the trigger on the pistol McLean just gave him and it’s empty, McLean says, “You think I’m a shmuck?””
That must have been the TV version. On my copy he’s a bit more forthright:- “that was pretty tricky with that accent - you oughta be on fucking TV with that accent” and “think I’m fucking stupid, Hans?”
---
### Author:  [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)
#### Post date: [October 27, 2001, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/die-hard/89814/13 "2001-10-27T13:55:13Z")
What the TV version substitute for “Yippie Ki Yah, Motherfucker”?
---
### Author:  [@matt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt)
#### Post date: [October 27, 2001, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/die-hard/89814/14 "2001-10-27T17:14:20Z")
Yippie Ki Yah, Kemosabe.
---
### Author:  [@Eternal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eternal)
#### Post date: [October 28, 2001, 5:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/die-hard/89814/15 "2001-10-28T05:03:17Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by matt \*
> \*\*
> If I’m following **Eternal’s** post correctly, he feels that the only reason McLean handed Hans an empty gun at all was for the amusement value, which is fairly unprofessional. Hans, being a professional, wouldn’t consider this - he’d just think that his ruse had worked.
> \*\*
I’m saying John gave Hans the gun because IT’S A MOVIE and the AUDIENCE WOULD FIND IT AMUSING.
---
### Author:  [@matt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt)
#### Post date: [October 28, 2001, 8:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/die-hard/89814/16 "2001-10-28T08:38:01Z")
:o
missed the change of context ever so slightly…
---
### Author:  [@Niobium\_Knight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Niobium_Knight)
#### Post date: [October 29, 2001, 9:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/die-hard/89814/17 "2001-10-29T09:01:00Z")
“Yippie Ki Yah”
i always think it sounds more like “Yippie-Yi-I-Ay”
---
### Author:  [@Edward\_The\_Head](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Edward_The_Head)
#### Post date: [October 29, 2001, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/die-hard/89814/18 "2001-10-29T14:26:18Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Ferrous \*
> \*\*My take on it:
> McClean (sp?) had grabbed a pack of European cigarettes from one of the terrorists he killed. When he offered one, Hans just accepted one as if they were in no way unusual. John figured that an American (as Hans was pretending to be) would have commented on the foreign brand. But he just took one as if he had been smoking them all the time. Therefore, John figured he was a terrorist. \*\*
Actually I took it as European cigs taste worse than American cigs, at least that’s what I’ve been told. Most Europeans, at least in my experience, prefer American cigs.
Hans should have known there were no rounds in the gun as it would weight less. Then again he might not have been paying that much attention since he though he had McClane
---
### Author:  [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)
#### Post date: [October 29, 2001, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/die-hard/89814/19 "2001-10-29T15:04:23Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by matt \*
> \*\*That must have been the TV version. On my copy he’s a bit more forthright:- “that was pretty tricky with that accent - you oughta be on fucking TV with that accent” and “think I’m fucking stupid, Hans?” \*\*
Actually, I took it out of the script. Go figger.
The basic gist is still the same; I think he heard the accent.
---
### Author:  [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)
#### Post date: [October 29, 2001, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/die-hard/89814/20 "2001-10-29T15:12:19Z")
“tricky accent”
I thought he was angry that Hans had fooled him with the accent.
[Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/die-hard/89814.md?page=2)